Commission opinion

of 5 October 2000

concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the "Centre de la Manche" radioactive waste storage facility located in the region of Lower Normandy (France), in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(2000/C 297/06)

(only the French text is authentic)

On 29 March 2000 the European Commission received from the French Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, general data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste resulting from the operation of the "Centre de la Manche" radioactive waste storage facility.

On the basis of these data and clarifications subsequently provided by the French Government, and following consultation with the group of experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion.

(a) The distance between the facility and the nearest other State (the Channel Islands) is between 20 and 50 km; the nearest Member States are the United Kingdom (south coast), Belgium and Luxembourg, which are at a distance of 100 km, 350 km and 550 km respectively.

(b) Under normal operating conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents will not cause an exposure of the population in other Member States that is significant from the point of view of health.

(c) The solid radioactive waste generated by operation of the facility will be stored at the "Centre de l'Aube" in France.

(d) In the event of unplanned discharges of radioactive waste which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the general data, the doses likely to be received by the population in other Member States would not be significant from the point of view of health.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste, resulting from the operation of the "Centre de la Manche" radioactive waste storage facility, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the general data, is not liable to result in the radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.